340 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Nov,  I,  1895. 
eiiger  to  advance  llic  iut.iesLs  of  this  island.  We 
are  all  patriots,  but  the  greatest  patriots  of  us  all  has 
been  Arthur  J.  Stephens.  I never  knew  him  to  clo 
any  act  or  deed  that  was  hostile  or  hurtful  to  the 
interests  of  this  Province. 
There  are  men  who  I know  would  sell 
Tlie  truth  to  serve  the  hour, 
And  palter  with  eternal  God  for  power. 
When  I was  in  Australia  lately  (and  here  in 
Fiji),  I always  embraced  every  opportunity  of  point- 
ing out  to  people  with  capital  and  sons  to  settle 
that  Fiji  would  be  in  time  a great  colony.  I have 
been  often  grieved  to  hear  the  remarks  made  “ that 
much  capital  had  been  wasted  in  Fiji.  That  a Go- 
vernment official,  who  now  possesses  the  confidence 
of  the  Colonial  Office,  had  at  one  time  planted  40 
acres  of  ramie  on  Taviuni  and  there  was  not  then 
(or  vet)  any  machine  to  clean  or  prepare  it  for  the 
market.”  Then  I have  been  reminded  that  “ a large 
urea  of  coconuts  had  been  planted  on  the  Nananas, 
the  coconuts  grew,  but  did  not  bear  a remuner- 
ative crop.”  Because  Taviuni  would  produce  a 
good  crop  of  nuts,  it  did  not  follow  that  Viti  Levu 
would  do  so.  Then  we  have  been  all  reminded  con- 
stantly about  the  capital  wasted  on  the  islands  of 
Rambi  and  Mango,  and  at  Deuba.  To  hear  of  these 
visionary  schemes  having  failed  and  to  be  told  (as 
you  all  have  been)  that  Fiji  was  not  a good  country, 
has  been  to  me  always  very  painfnl  to  listen  to.  I 
have  generally,  in  reply,  said; — ‘‘ Dear  friend,  do  you 
not  know  that  Fiji  is  a Crown  Colony.  You  only 
want  t©  send  your  son  to  Fiji.  What  if  he  blunders 
and  waste  your  money  ; the  fact  of  having  failed  and 
lost  your  money  and  not  having  been  a successful 
colonist  will  secure  for  him  recognition  at  the  Colonial 
Office.  He  will  probably  be  made  a Governor.  He 
will  be  certainly  qualified  for,  and  made  a Crown 
Colony  Legislator.  The  chances  arethat  he  will  be  made 
a K.C.M.G.,  and  may  blossom  into  a Duke.”  (Cheers.) 
Gentlemen,  the  present  is  the  most  awful  crisis  that 
ever  Fiji  saw.  During  the  past  few  years,  the  Mort- 
gage and  Agency  Company,  the  New  Zealand  Loan 
and  Mercantile  Agency  Company,  and  the  Union 
Bank  have  withdrawn  their  capital,  indicating  that 
something  must  be  rotten  and  decidedly  wrong  about 
the  way  that  the  affairs  of  this  colony  are  adminis- 
tered, directed  or  managed,  when  financial  institutions 
of  the  highest  standing  refuse  tohelp  the  colony  to  deve- 
lop the  agricultural  resources  of  the  country.  These, 
according  to  the  estimate  of  competent  men,  should 
produce  an  annual  return  of  twenty  millions  ster- 
ling, and  just  examine  the  beggarly  show  of  empty 
boxes,  and  we  have  no  parliament  and  a Legisla- 
tive Council  that  is  not  capable  (or  competent)  of 
re-arraiigiug  Colonial  affairs  on  a solid  basis.  Sir, 
the  entire  colony  must  deplore  and  lament  the  clos- 
ing up  of  the  Alpha  Tea  Estate;  the  labour  troubles 
have  had  much  to  do  with  this  movement.  The 
fact  is  the  Government  and  the  Legislature  about 
this  question  and  other  matters  are  not  in  sympathy 
with  the  colony ; they  are  only  in  touch  with  the 
wants  of  the  residents  at  Suva  and  Levuka.  His- 
tory is  only  repeating  itself.  Western  Australia, 
New  South  Wales  and  Natal  each  was  for  many 
years  in  its  infancy  directed  by  the  Government  of 
a Crown  Colony,  with  a nominee  Council.  While 
so  nursed  the  growth  of  each,  like  Fiji,  was  stunted 
and  dwarfed.  The  first  thing  that  the  Representative 
Legislative  Assembly  of  Western  Australia  did  was 
to  pass  a law  to  give  1,CKX),(X)0  acres  of  the  waste 
lands  to  a syndicate  to  run  a line  of  railway  3(X) 
miles  into  the  interior,  and  open  up  the  country 
for  settlement.  The  policy  was  very  beneficial  and 
effectual  ; in  less  than  six  years  the  population  has 
been  doubled  and  within  the  last  two  years  the 
revenue  has  risen  from  £100,000  to  over  £1,200,000. 
Fiji  has  been  a Crown  Colony  for  20  years.  I sup- 
pose, like  Western  Australia,  the  Colonial  office  will 
continue  to  spoon-feod  and  keep  us  in  loading  strings 
for  another  20  years,  unless  by  accident  a Governor 
Weld  or  Sir  Charles  Mitchell  be  sent  here,  who  will, 
do  justice  to  the  colony  and  explain  to  Downing 
Street  that  the  attempt  to  guide  the  infant  stops  of 
the  colony  by  a Nominee  Council  have  boon 
uutortuuato  and  disastrous, 
You  al!  know  the  history  of  the  Roman  Emperor 
who  fiddled  while  his  city  of  Rome  was  burning. 
The  history  of  Fiji  shows  that  the  Goverumet  and 
the  Council  have  Been  very  much  like  that  Emperor. 
They  have  quietly  sat  (either  thro  igh  ap  ithv  or  pre- 
judice) and  watched  the  tea  and  fruit  industries  being 
wiped  out.  The  hill  land  of  Taviuni  is  the  best  tea 
land  in  the  world;  Mr.  Stephens  has  proved  it  be- 
yond a question  of  doubt.  The  cost  of  labour  pre- 
vents the  industry  being  worked  at  a profit.  The 
Alpha  Tea  Estate  is  cloasd  up  and  ab.iudoiied  ; other 
estates  for  tbe  growth  of  tea  will  uot  bo  started. 
The  Government  “ native  tax  experiment”  is  responsi- 
ble for  the  high  cost  of  labour  and  its  limited 
supply. 
The  fruit  industry  was  extinguished  long  ago  on 
the  two  most  valuable  islands  of  the  group,  covering 
half  the  lands  of  Fiji,  Taviuni,  and  \'anua  Levu. 
The  fruit  industry  to  be  successful  in  Fiji  should 
have  been  fostered  and  promoted  on  these  two  is- 
lands, the  volcanic  soil  of  which  is  pre-eminently 
well  adapted  for  its  growth.  But  not  so  ; the  clay 
subsoil  along  the  coast  of  Viti  Levu,  the  retentative 
nature  of  which  holds  the  rainf-.ill  and  causes  the 
land  to  be  what  the  farmers  call  sour ; this  generates 
disease  in  plants,  the  pines  shipped  from  Suva  are 
a miserable  article,  the  laud  there  will  only  produce 
one  crop  of  bananas  and  they  arc  a diseased  abortion. 
The  value  of  fruit  for  a few  years  after  1882  was 
over  £10,000  shipped  from  Vauua  Levu  via  Levuka. 
During  1893  only  .£281  worth  ; and  last  year  there  was 
to  the  value  of  £241  only.  The  centralizing  policy 
at  a distant  place  like  Lsvuka  on  a barren  islet  has 
undoubtedly  arrested  the  progress  of  Fiji.  The  future 
greatness  of  the  colony  depends  upon  the  develop- 
ment and  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  of  Taviuni  and 
Vanua  Levu. 
It  was  during  the  time  that  Sir  Charles  Mitchell 
was  here  that  I last  brought  the  question  of  the 
shipping  arrangements  under  notice  of  the  Govern- 
ment. Sir  Charles,  having  had  West  Indian  experience, 
understood  the  question  that  the  interests  of  an  im- 
portant island  like  Taviuni  were  not  identical  with 
that  of  another  island  at  a distance  of  100  miles 
away,  and  that  to  tranship  the  imports  and  exports 
of  Taviuni  at  Levuka,  Kadavu,  or  Norfolk  Island, 
was  not  to  bo  justified.  * » » 
Mr.  W.  J.  Ewins,  being  called  upon  to  respond 
for  the  Planting  Interests,  said  Mr.  McConnell  had 
said  that  Viti  Leva  lands  had  no  chance  against 
such  as  those  we  possessed,  but  apparently  the  fruit 
and  cane  growers  there  were  uot  of  his  opinion ; for 
they  were  by  no  means  beaten  yet,  in  spite  of  diseases 
in  bananas  and  cane,  as  is  being  evidenced  by  the 
large  areas  the  planters  were  still  opening  up.  (Ap- 
plause). Speaking  as  a sugar-planter  he  felt  certain, 
in  spite  of  the  deplorable  fall  iu  the  prices  of  sugor, 
that,  incredible  though  it  may  seem,  by  judicious 
economy,  careful  and  skilful  management,  we 
could  still  make  a profit  and  felt  by  uo  means. 
With  regard  to  tea  and  coffee,  it  was  sad  to  think 
that  many  who  had  tried  these  industries  had  not 
met  with  better  success.  The  high  costand  difficultv 
of  procuring  local  labor  mainly  contributed  to  sucli 
failures.  It  was  a pity  that  the  Fijian  was  not  more 
easily  and  cheaply  available  for  such  work.  He  spoke 
a short  time  back  for  the  Government,  but  now  spoke 
as  a planter  and  he  must  say  that  he  thought  it  a 
pity  that  a system  of  native  taxation,  which  was 
based  on  the  Dutch  policy  in  tlie  Malayan  Archi- 
pelago, should  be  continued  in  a British  colony  whore 
a Similar  mode  to  that  of  tlie  Dutch  is  im- 
practicable. 
Hon.  J.  M.  BoiuioN  proposing  tlie  Commercial 
Interest. 
Mr.  J.  MiCiNNF.i.L,  responding  for  the  Commercial 
Interests  » * * You  know  that  up  to  the  present  the 
mineral  resources  of  the  ir, lands  are  an  unknown  quan- 
tity. 'I'hey  may  bo  of  groat  value  for  aught  that  man 
can  tell.  VVe  have  no  mining  class  in  Fiji  to  provide 
for.  No  manufactory  of  any  importance  has  yet  been 
started,  unless  you  can  call  the  Suva  Desiccated 
Coconut  Co.  one.  Its  success  is  very  doubtful. 
Manufactories  miglit  be  established,  and  wlicn 
tbeso  aio  attempted  it  will  be  a good  thing  for 
Fiji,  if  caro  will  bo  taken  iu  soluctiug  compotcut 
